Chemical Warfare The Way To Wipe Out Fleas

Q-My female Irish setter is supersensitive to flea bites. She has been on medication since May, 1985, and still takes four tablets of Clavamox, along with two tablets of Predichlor.

At one point she was full of pus, had sores from head to tail to paws and lost her fur. I`ve taken her to four veterinarians. The present doctor has helped her the most, but she still has some sores and is sensitive.

We also have a male Irish setter and three cats.

When will the problem finally clear up, and how do we prevent it from recurring in a few months?

A-You`ve been doing just about everything that can be done by using Clavamox to reduce the infection and Prednichlor to counteract the allergy. I have little doubt that both medications are helping your dog, but until the flea population is reduced to zero, the problem will return.

Even if the fleas are eliminated, if your dog still has a tendency to allergies, she may develop an allergy to other things, such as molds and dust. However, it seems more likely that the primary problem is with fleas and the primary solution is total flea control inside and outside your home and on all your pets.

There are yard and kennel sprays to control the outdoor flea population. Use one of them on your entire yard right away, repeat a week later, then spray again every two to three weeks.

Inside the home there are many ways to treat the problem, but the most effective method is to use an indoor spray and concentrate on those hard-to-reach areas, such as under beds, behind dressers, etc. Then, follow up immediately with either a fogger or a group of foggers to kill not only the adult fleas, but also their emerging larvae.

If you don`t want to totally fog your home, use a spray you can apply to every surface, including upholstery, window ledges, any place a cat can jump onto, into, etc. Repeat the process in about two weeks, then probably every six weeks.

Finally, you must rid all your pets of fleas. Even if one pet is more affected by fleas than the others, all of them must be treated aggressively. A flea dip is probably the most effective way to get the adult fleas off.

Be very sure not to mix one chemical with another. For tips on what to buy, consult a veterinarian.

You`re in for a lot of work. But if you don`t make the effort, your dog`s skin problem is bound to return.

Q-My 10-year-old German shepherd is alert, eats well and has no pain or paralysis, but she cannot stand or walk with her hind quarters. She has no trouble with her bowels or urination and can kick with her back legs. Could this be an infection?

A-In all probability, you`re describing degenerative myelopathy, a tragic condition common to German shepherds. It involves a gradual loss of function of the spinal cord. The degeneration starts at the back and slowly works up to the front end. The initial symptoms are weakness and wobbling on the hind legs. This progresses to the point that the legs become so weak the dog can no longer get up. This seems to match the stage your dog is in right now.

Because the problem is not caused by an infection, antibiotics would be no help. Worse yet, there is no known cure. Because of the disease`s tragic and irreversible progression, most owners have their dogs put to sleep. When the dog can no longer move about sufficiently to avoid urinating on itself or sitting in its own bowel movements, this is the point of no return.

However, there are other things that can cause similar problems. They include hip dysplasia or other causes of arthritis in the hips or lower spine, or tumors that put pressure on the spinal cord. But I surmise that your dog suffers from degenerative myelopathy.

Have a blood test done and X-rays taken, just to rule out the other possible causes. If the tests come up negative, you must accept that this is a progressive condition without a cure.

However, if you`re still not ready to part with her, ask your veterinarian about using a K-9 Kart. It`s a kind of wheelchair for dogs. I`ve seen dogs that have been extremely happy using the devices, which look much like the carts that trotting horses pull.

Dr. Huntington welcomes questions from readers. Although she cannot reply to them individually, she will answer those of general interest in this column. Write to Dr. Huntington, c/o The Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. If your pet`s problem is urgent or an emergency, consult your vet.